Operating mechanism for washing-machines.



W. V. FRANK.

OPERATING, MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.Z9,1910.

1,972,109, Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-411133131.

witnesses W. V. FRANK.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLIUATION TILED JAN. 29. 1910. 1,072,109. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEB'IS-SHEET 2.

8110.2 "for, WW I? 1 air/A,

dttouwq COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII co..WAsmNn'r0.-4, u. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM V. FRANK, 0F SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE F. O. MOTOR WASHER COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING-MACHINES.

Application filed January 29, 1910.

Specification of Letters Batent.

To cZl whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM V. FRANK,

anism for washing machines, and the object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this character which will impart a maximum amount of rubbing action to the dolly or agitator for each operation of the mech an'ism; and which will require a minimum amount of power for its operation.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide such a mechanism which will be simple in its construction and operation and of a strong", durable character; and to so arrange the same as to enable it to be inclosed within a suitable casing.

To this end it is: a further object of the invention to provide means for connecting the shaft of a motor to the ope ating rod of the dolly in such a manner as to cause the operating rod to move about a longitudinal axis in unison with the shaft, but to permit the rod to move longitudinally rela tive to the shaft; and further, to provide means for imparting this longitudinal movement to the actuating rod, thereby im parting to the dolly, simultaneously, movement about a longitudinal axis and reciprocating movement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view, taken centrally through an operating mechanism embody- .ing my invention, showing the actuating member in its elevated position; Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional View, taken centrally of the operating mechanism on a line extending at right angles to the line on which the section of 1 was taken, showing the actuating i nember in its uppermost position; Fig. 3- is a transverse, sectional view, taken on the line of Fig. 2 and looking inthe direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the connecting member by means of which the actuating member is connected to the motor shaft; Fig; 5 is a detail view of the cage; Fig. 6 is a detail view of the spider; and Fig. 7 is a section taken transversely of the connecting member and the actuating member.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as applied to a washing machine comprising a body portion or tub I having a hinged lid or closure 2. This body portion is of ordinary construction and I have, therefore, shown only so much of the same and its lid as is necessary to illustrate the manner of applying the invention thereto.

Mounted upon the machine, and 1'n'ei'erably upon the hinged lid 2, is a motor 3 which, in the present instance, is shown as an oscillating motor and has a hollow shaft 4, which constitutes the driving shaft for the operating mechanism and one end of which extends to a point below the lower cylinder head of the casing. This shaft is connected with the actuating member or rod 5 of the dolly (iin such a manner as to cause the operating member to move about a 1011- gitudinal axis in unison with the motor shaft, and, at the same time, to permit the actuating member to move longitudinally relative to the motor shaft. The manner of supporting the motor 3 on the hinged lid 2 and the manner of connecting the actuating member with the motor shaft may, of course, be varied to accomu'iodatc the same to (,lil'l'erent conditions. In the present instance I have shown the motor as supported on a housing 7 comprising two concave or cup-shaped portions 8 and f). The lower portion 8 is mounted in an opening formed in the hi'ngiu'l' lid 2 and is supported on that lid by a flange 10 extending outwardly from the upper edge of the same and resting upon the adjacent edge oi? the lid. The upper concave member 5) also has an outwardly extei'iding flange 11 which rests upon the tlangc 10 of the lower member and is secured thereto by means of bolts 12 extending througlli the two flanges, and, in the present instance, also extending through the hinged lid 2 and serving to rigidly secure the housing to that lid. The upper portion S) of the housing has mounted thereon a frame or collar 13 :t'or-ming an extension to the housing, the upper edge of the collar bcing secured to the lower cylinder head of the motor 3.

The actuating member 5 for the dolly 6 ranged within the housing 7 and extends.

- through an opening 16 formed in the upper wall of the housing. This cage may be of any suitable construction and may be secured to the shaft in any suitable manner. In the present instance the cage is shown as comprising two parts, each of which is formed of a plate of metal having its upper and lower ends bent inwardly, that is, toward the other part of the cage. These plates are provided with corresponding lugs 17 to receive the bolts or screws 18 and thereby rigidly connect together the two parts of the cage. The upper wall of the cage has formed therein an opening 19 to receive the lower end of the shaft 4. This opening is formed partly in each of the two portions of the housing and is preferably of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of that portion of the shaft 4 which enters the same, and, consequently, when the bolt-s 18 are tightened down, the end of the shaft will be clamped firmly between the two parts; of the cage. The opening 19 and that portion of the shaft which enters the same are preferably angular in cross section to more effectually prevent any movement of the parts relative one to the other. The lower end of the cage has an opening 20 arranged in alinement with the opening 14 in the housing 7 to permit the passage of the actuating member 5 for the dolly. This actuating member passes through the cage and enters the hollow shaft at its point of connection thereto.

The construction of the cage 15 is such that two. opposite sides thereof are entirely open and the other two sides are provided with vertically arranged slots 21. Mounted within the cage and arranged substantially horizontally therein is a plate or spider 22 having two pairs of projections 23 and 2 1, the projections of each pair being arranged on opposite sides of the plate. In the present instance each of the projections, 23 and 24:, comprises a roller mounted on a stud or pin 25 secured to a lug 26 on the corresponding side of the plate. The plate 22 is preferably oblongsin shape and the projections or rollers 23, which are secured to the ends of the plate, project beyond the open sides of the cage and are arranged in position to be engaged by a suitable guide, which, in the present instance, consists of a depending flange or cam track 27 which is secured at its upper edge to the upper wall of the housing 7 and extends about the'cdge of the opening 16 in said wall. The projections 24, which extend from the sides of the plate of a spring 28 which is coiled about the actuating member 5 and is confined between the lower side of the plate 22 and the bottom of the cage. Thus, it will'be apparent that the cage will oscillate with the motor shaft t and that the plate 22 will oscillate with the cage and will also be caused to move in a vertical plane by the action of the projections or rollers 23 which travel over the cam track 27.

The actuating member 5 may be secured to the spider or plate 22 in any. suitable manner, but in order that the actuating memher and its dolly may be adjusted vertically to support the dollyin proper position in the tub, it is desirable that this connection should be made at a point outside of the inclosing housing where it will be easily accessible to permit the desired adjustment to be made. To this end I have, as above stated, caused the actuating member 5 to extend through and to a point above the motor shaft 4. I have also extended through the motor shaft 4 an actuating rod 29 which ispreferably formed in two parts, these 7 parts being segmental in cross section and arranged to fit snugly within the hollow .shaft on opposite sides of the actuating member 5. Thetwo parts of this rod are secured at their lower ends to the plate 22. This plate is provided with a transverse slot 30, through which the actuating memher 5 extends, and on the opposite sides of this transverse slot are two recesses 31 arranged to receive the lower ends of the two parts of the connecting rod 29, which ends are reduced to enable them to enter said recesses. The lower end of each portion of the rod has two laterally extendingprojections 32 arranged one above the other to form a recess between them. This recess is of such a size as to receive the adjacent edge of the plate 22 which. is preferably reduced in thickness to correspond to the size of the recess formed between the two lugs. The two parts of the connecting rod 29 are placed in position in the shaft and the lower ends thereof are arranged in position in the recesses 31 in the plate 22 before the actuating member 5 is inserted. With the actuating member in position between the two parts of the rod these parts are held againstlateral movement, and, consequently, are firmly secured to the plate or spider 22,

and, by means of this plate, are rigidly connected one to the other at their lower ends. The two portions of the connecting rod 29 extend some distance above the motor 3 and are secured one to the other by means of a collar 33 which extends about the two portions of the connecting rod and is secured thereto by means of screws 34. The connecting rod 29 may be adjustably connected to the actuating member 5 in any suitable manner, but, in the present instance, I have shown the actuating member as having a series of transverse apertures 35 and have mounted on the connecting rod a movable pin 36 which is adapted to enter any one of the recesses 35 and thus secure the connecting rod to the actuating member. In the present instance the collar 33 has a laterally extending projection 37 in which the pin 86 is slidably mounted. A stem 38 extends outwardly from the pin through an opening 39 in the outer end of the hollow projection and has seemed thereto a suitable knob or handle 40. The pin 36 is held normally in its innermost position, that is, its position within the aperture in the actuating member 5, by means of a spring 41 coiled about the stem 38 and confined between the end of the hollow projection and the outer end of the pin 36. In order to facilitate the adjustment of the actuating member relatively to the connecting rod, and, consequently, to the motor shaft, I have detachably secured to the upper end of the actuating member a knob or handle 42. A spring 43 is preferably coiled about the actuating member and connecting rod 29 and is confined between the collar 33 and the top of the motor 3. This spring cooperates with the spring 28 in holding the projections 23 of the spider in engagement with the cam track and in maintaining the dolly (3 in its elevated position.

The operation of the mechanism will be readily understood from the foregoing de scription and it will be apparent that the actuating member for the dolly so connected to the motor that an oscillating movement will be imparted thereto; that this connection is such as to permit a free vertical movement on the part of the actuating member and dolly and that this movement is imparted thereto simultaneously with the oscillation of these parts. Further, it will be apparent that the connection between the actuating member for the dolly and the motor shaft is such as to permit the former to be adjusted vertically relative to the latter, thereby adjusting the dolly to acconn'nodate the same to the amount of clothes contained by the tub. It will also be apparent that the construction is of a strong, durable nature; that the parts thereof are of such a character that they will not be easily broken or disarranged and will reinclosing the mechanism and by supporting the motor upon the upper end of the housing a neat compact arrangement is secured which has no projecting parts other than the upper end of the actuating member, and, therefore, presents a finished appearance and is not liable to injure the operator.

\Vhile I have shown and described one form of the invention and have illustrated the same as a ))lied to a washin machine it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this class of machines and that many alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention. F or instance, the spider 22, which is herein shown and described as a horizontal plate, may be of any suitable construction which will permit it to move longitudinally to the cage. I, therefore, wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

l-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. .In a machine of the character described, a housing mounted on said machine and held against mow-uncut relatively thereto, a motor casing rigidly secured to said housing, a hollow shaft mounted in said casing, a part to be actuated, an actuating rod for said part extending through said housing and said hollow shaft, a device supported within said housing to cause said rod and said shaft to move about a longitudinal axis in unison, and other means supported within said housing to cause said rod to move longitmlinally relatively to said shaft.

In a machine of the character described, a housing mounted on said machine, a motor supported on said housing and comprising a. shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held :igainst longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating rod therefor extending into said housing, a device supported within said housing for connecting said actuating rod with said shaft to cause it to move about a longitudinal axis in unison therewith and to permit it to move longitudinally relatively thereto, a cam track mounted within said housing, and a part connected with said actuating rod and arranged to travel along said cam track.

In a machine of the character described,

the combination, with a hollow'shaft, and means for imparting rotary movement to the same, of a part to be actuated, an actuating member therefor extending through said .hollow shaft, means for adjustably connecting said actuating member with said shaft, and means controlled by the movement of said shaft for imparting longitudinal movement to said actuating member relatively to tending through said hollow shaft, a connecting member extending through said hol low shaft and connected with said shaft and said actuating member, and means interposed between said shaft and said connecting member for imparting longitudinal movement to said connecting member, relatively to said shaft.

In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a'hollow shaft, and means for actuating the same, of a part to be actuated, an actuating member therefor extending through said hollow shaft, and a connecting member extending through said hollow shaft and connected with the inner end thereof and also connected with said actuating member beyond the outer end of said shaft.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a hollow shaft, and means for actuating the same, of a part to be actuated, an actuating member therefor extending through said hollow shaft, a connecting member extending throughsaid 1101- low shaft, connected with the inner end thereof and also connected with said actuating member beyond. the outer end of said shaft, and means interposed between the inner end of said shaft and said connecting member for imparting a longitudinal movement tosaid connecting member relatively to said shaft.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a driving shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating member for said part to be actuated, of a part rigidly secured to said shaft and having a guideway, a second part connected with said actuating member and arranged to engage said guideway, and means for imparting movement to said second part relative to the first-mentioned part.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a driving shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, andan actuating member for said part to be actuated, of a cage rigidly secured to said shaft and having a guideway, a part mounted within said cage, adapted to engage said guideway and connected with said actuating member, and means for imparting movement to said part relative to said cage.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a driving shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating member for said part to be actuated, of a cage rigidly secured to said shaft and having vertically arranged guideways in the opposite sides thereof, a spider mounted within said cage, having projections arranged in said guideways and connected with said actuating member, and means for imparting movement to said spider relative to said cage. 7 l

10. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination, with a driving shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating member for said part to be actuated, of a cage rigidly secured to said shaft and having guideways, a spider mounted within said cage, connected with said actuating member and having a plurality of project-ions, a partof said projections being arranged to engage said guideways, and a cam track arranged to be engaged by others of said projections.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a driving shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating member for said part to be actuated, of a cage secured to said shaft and having longitudinally arranged guideways, a cam track surrounding said cage, and a spider mounted within said cage, connected with said actuating member, having a plurality of projections adapted to engage the guideways in said cage and having a plurality of other projections ex tending beyond said cage and adapted to travel overvsaid cam track.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a driving shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, apart to be actuated, and an actuating member for said part to be actuated, of a cage secured to said shaft and having longitudinally arranged guideways, a cam track surrounding said cage, a spider mounted within said cage, connected with said actuating member, having a plurality of projections adapted to engage the guideways in said cage and having a plurality of other projections extending beyond said cage and adapted to travel over said cam track, and a spring arranged to retain said last-mentioned projections in engagement with said cam track.

13. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination, with a hollow shaft having movement about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating member therefor extending through said hollow shaft, of a cage secured to one end of said shaft, a spider mounted within and movable with said cage about a longitudinal axis, means for moving said spider longitudinally to said cage, and a connecting member secured to said spider, extending through said hollow shaft and connected to said actuating member.

14. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combinatiomwith a hollow shaft having movement about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating member therefor extending through said hollow shaft, of a cage secured to one end of said shaft, a spider mounted within andmovable with said cage about a longitudinal axis, means for moving said spider longitudinally to said cage, and a connecting rod secured at one end to said spider, extending through said hollow shaft and adjustably connected at its other end to said actuating member.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a hollow shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating rod therefor extending through said hollow shaft, of a cage secured to one end of said shaft, a spider mounted in said cage and held against movement about a longitudinal axis relatively thereto, means for moving said spider longitudinally to said cage, a two part connecting rod extending through said hollow shaft, arranged on opposite sides of said actuating rod and having its lower end secured to said spider, and means for connecting the upper end of said rod to said actuating member.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a hollow shaft movable about a longitudinal axis and held against longitudinal movement, a part to be actuated, and an actuating rod therefor extend ingthrough said hollow shaft, of a cage rigidly secured to said shaft, a spider mounted in said cage, held against rotary movement relatively thereto, having an opening for said actuating rod and having recesses arranged on the opposite sides of said opening, means for imparting vertical movement to said spider relatively to said cage, a two part connecting rod extending through said hollow shaft on opposite sides of said actuating rod, the lower ends of the two parts of said connecting rod being rigidly socured within said recesses, and means for connecting the upper ends of said rods one to the other and to said actuating rod.

17. In a machine of the character described, the eombination, with a housing mounted on said machine, a motor supported on said housing and comprisinga shaft movable about a longitudinal axis, a part to be actuated, and an actuating rod therefor extending into said housing, of a cage arranged within said housing and rigidly secured to said shaft, a cam t 'ack supported by said housing and extending about said cage, a spider mounted in said cage, held against rotary movement relatively thereto, connected with said actuating rod and having projections adapted to travel along said cam track, and means for retaining said projections in engagement with said track.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM V. FRANK.

Witnesses:

E. O. I'IAGAN, EDWARD L. Reno.

Gopics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

